The Ten Most Charming Italian Seaside Towns

1. Vernazza One of the five towns of the famed Cinque Terre, Vernazza comes highly recommended by travel guru Rick Steves, labelling it the “jewel of the Cinque Terre”.

2. Portofino When someone mentions the Italian Riviera, this town is the first thing that pops into my mind. Portofino is the Italian playground to the rich and famous, and is located in between the Cinque Terre and Genoa.

3. Positano One of the most popular destinations of the Amalfi Coast, Positano looks like something out of a dream. The colourful town is built into the hill overlooking the gorgeous beach and Mediterranean sea.

4. Capri An island located off the Italian coast, Capri is a very popular choice for tourists due to its shimmering blue water and beautiful landscape. The beautiful Blue Grotto, a sea cave, is a big attraction for tourists.

5. Atrani A lesser known town of the Amalfi Coast, Atrani looks similar to Positano but probably comes with half the crowds! It is located just 700 meters away from the town of Amalfi.

6. Ponza Definitely a hidden gem, Ponza is the largest of the Pontine Islands, which are located in between Naples and Rome. If you’re looking for a summer getaway to escape the crowds of the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre, this might be for you!

7. Lipari The largest island of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari is also quite the undiscovered gem. Aside from its beautiful harbour and old town, it is a great base for visiting the other islands, located nearby Sicily.

8. Manarola The Cinque Terre town of Manarola is just one of those picture perfect towns that you don’t think could really exist. Well it does, and it is definitely at the top of my bucketlist, and I’m sure everyone elses too.

9. Procida An island off the coast of Naples, Procida is quietly transitioning from hidden gem to up and coming tourist destination. As people tire of the crowds at other popular seaside locations, I think islands like Procida will become increasingly attractive.

10. Ravello The town of Ravello sits above the Amalfi Coast, and although it is further from the water, it provides some killer views to make up for it.

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4 thoughts on “The Ten Most Charming Italian Seaside Towns”

Love this list. Any town in Cinque Terre is amazing… but I agree with Rick Steves, there is something so special about Vernazza.
I blogged about my time there here: https://classiccosmopolite.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/a-hike-in-cinque-terre/
Just a note on the the Italian Riveria- It is the birth place of pesto- and it is AMAZING. So anyone planning a trip there, make sure to have pesto!

Love the pesto, as well as the Sciacchetra wine from the Cinque Terre region which, as far as I can tell, is not widely available outside this area and produced in limited quantities. Just another reason to go back! 🙂